TNT crew hacks Howard, Rockets after loss to Lakers

The Lakers employed Hack-A-Howard on Thursday night at Toyota Center with varying results.

It was within the last two minutes, when they couldn’t hack him when he didn’t have the ball without also giving the Rockets the ball, that the Lakers really benefitted from his poor free throw shooting. Chandler Parsons inexplicably threw an inbounds pass to Howard, enabling the Lakers to foul him without drawing an additional penalty.

Howard missed both free throws. The Lakers’ Steve Blake hit a three-pointer to give them a 99-98 victory.

But it wasn’t Howard’s free throw shooting that the TNT crew criticized.

They were critical because he didn’t demand the ball more. It is true that the Rockets often looked like they did before they acquired Howard during the offseason as a free agent, with the ball sticking to James Harden while the 24 second clock was winding down.

Howard had 15 points and 14 rebounds. He was five of 16 from the free throw line, but the most glaring hole in his game was that he took only 10 shots from the field.

“He’s too talented to be average,” said Kenny Smith, a former Rocket. “We wouldn’t say this is he didn’t have the talent.

“It’s not we don’t like him. He’s a good guy. But he’s allowing himself to be average by not demanding the ball.”

Charles Barkley said Howard’s game frustrates him because opposing teams don’t have to double team him.

“I like Dwight,” Barkley said. “I think he’s a good player. He has too much talent not to be a great player. If he takes 15 to 20 shots, they’re going to have to double team him.”

The Rockets are 4-2 but should not lose at home to a Lakers team without Kobe Bryant.

Shaquille O’Neal said he doesn’t consider the Rockets a contender for the Western Conference championship unless Howard becomes more dominating.